While everyone at CES is showing off their biggest screens, Sony may very well be debuting their best. The XEL-1 ($2,500) is a new OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) television, with a screen that is absolutely amazing. The technology offers a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, meaning extremely deep blacks and very brilliant colors. Looking green, it uses very little power compared to other technologies.
However, the thing that'll impress most folks is its size. At only 3 millimeters thin (about the thickness of 3 credit cards), it's about as thin as a screen can get, since it doesn't need a backlight (like an LCD). Here's the catch. Well, two catches: Right now, it's only available in an 11-inch screen size, although Sony's also showing a prototype 27-inch screen. Second catch, and it's a biggie, is that current OLED technology limits screen life to about 3 to 4 years, something Sony neglected to mention at their press conference. I wonder why…
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By murray at 4:55 PM ON 01/07/08
What's the use of a super thin screen if it's tethered to a huge slab? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?
By Mikey8567 at 1:37 AM ON 01/20/08
OK being thin using OLEDs is fine. they have been talking about them for years.... I once saw a gaming keyboard concept that when a game was started the keyboard keys would change to that games layout and back to a regular QWERTY when done playing, thats fine. And at that time a few years ago the life span was very short also. So they still have that hurdle. My thing is that no matter how thin you make it you still have to have a interface (connection point),3mils thick at most of the surface.... some where it has to get thick for the mounting and electrical/signal connections. I'll stick with the LCD's for a while.
By Mikey8567 at 1:38 AM ON 01/20/08
OK being thin using OLEDs is fine. they have been talking about them for years.... I once saw a gaming keyboard concept that when a game was started the keyboard keys would change to that games layout and back to a regular QWERTY when done playing, thats fine. And at that time a few years ago the life span was very short also. So they still have that hurdle. My thing is that no matter how thin you make it you still have to have a interface (connection point),3mils thick at most of the surface.... some where it has to get thick for the mounting and electrical/signal connections. I'll stick with the LCD's for a while.